WFH Best Practices 

Date of creation: March 2020 

Author: Dian Rosanti, Paul Katz, Brandie Heinel 

Table of Contents
 
Context 
A NOTE FOR MANAGERS 

Top 10 Best Practice Tips 

Setting Expectations While WFH 

Productivity 
PRODUCTIVITY : FOR MANAGERS 
Zoom Tips 
Asana Tips 

Communication 

Wellness 

Community 

Working Space 

APPENDIX 

Context 
Gojek may be moving to remote working in the near future for a short period of time or you may be 
asked to test out WFH to help prepare for the possibility of the team shifting to working from home.  
 
Compared to working in the office and collaborating remotely with other offices, or even WFH for 
1-2 days, the work-life of being a f​ ull-time remote worker​ has unique challenges. Working on 
completely distributed teams means needing different ways of informing each other, different ways 
of making decisions, and different ways of staying connected. 
 
Below are some helpful tips to set-up yourself and the team for success.  
 
 A NOTE ​FOR MANAGERS 
Your team will be looking to you to “walk-the-walk.”  
If the team witnesses you following WFH best practices,  
then those guidelines will quickly become the defacto norm for the crew.  

Top 10 Best Practice Tips 

1. Set office hours and stick to them.​ Don’t forget to a
​ dd your office hours to Google Calendar 
so colleagues can schedule around them. 

2. Update your status​ on Slack so colleagues know when you are online — or offline. Please be 
far more proactive on this than when you are in the office, managing expectations around 
responsiveness is very critical during WFH! 

3. Create a unique workspace in your home​ — and use it specifically just ​for​ work. 

4. Set an agreed signal with the family​ so they know when you are on the clock.  

5. For those with children,​ don’t expect the little ones won’t impact on work time. They may 
even spontaneously join you in a meeting. It is all good. Your colleagues understand that 
while WFH, you are juggling two roles: parent + staffer. Nobody will mind if you pause to 
parent for a moment or two before rejoining the workday or Zoom. They might even want to 
wave hello to your little one(s)! 

6. Take regular breaks​ during the day and step away from the computer. A short break every 1 
or 2 hours is highly recommended!  

7. Consider implementing ​async stand-ups​ via Slack or email, as an alternative to video calls. 
WiFi stability can vary wildly per team member on residential internet.  

8. 👋Use emojis!​ It sounds silly, but your tone can be lost in chat. Be sure to be clear as things 
may get convoluted quickly due to how something may sound when you’re writing it.  
PRO TIP:​ ​On Mac, pull up the Emoji keyboard using ​”control + command +
spacebar”  

​ ith 
9. Over-communicate!.​ Working remotely often requires you to communicate details​ w
everyone to reduce mismatched expectations — especially if a large group of staffers starts 
WFH for the first time. If you ever think to yourself, “everyone knows this already” or “I 
probably don’t need to say it,” just say it rather than leave it possibly ambiguous. 

10. Embrace the upside!​ Since you will be at home, cross off that personal goal that’s been on 
the To-Do List. Anything from a food recipe that needs a close eye while in the oven, to 
trimming the garden plants during lunch to free up time during the weekend, or learning a 
new language — the time flexibility is a perk to be utilized.  
Setting Expectations While WFH 
Here are some ideas for setting clear expectations between managers and team members, as well 
as for peers within a team: 

1. Collaborate and agree on a ​“WFH rules of engagement”​ document that is tailored to your 
team. Pin this to your Slack.  
EXAMPLE: R ​ emote & Distributed Team Rules of Engagement​ by Gojek Engineering 

2. Agree on WFH office hours.​ Document the default expectations in a shareable document, 
and be extra-disciplined about keeping Google Calendar updated. Be mindful that parents 
may need to shift to more flexible hours in order to accommodate their family obligations. 

3. Make sure your U

​ ser Manuals​ are updated with WFH specifics. 

4. Managers:​ It is your responsibility to set very clear expectations with your team.  
Read more below. 

Productivity 

PRODUCTIVITY :​ FOR MANAGERS

To set-up your team for high productivity success, follow these 3 E’s of WFH: 
 
● Expectations​: Set’em and share’em on e ​ verything​. From how to reach you in a crisis, to 
when you will respond to 1-1 Slack pings, to how you want daily status updates 
structured; the more clear and concise processes in place from you, the less the team 
will have to wonder and stress over.  
 
● Effort: ​When one works and lives in the same space, it becomes very easy to always 
be on — which is a recipe for rapid burn out. Keep an eye out for WFH staffers that fall 
into the mind trap that time = effort. If the priority level doesn’t genuinely require 
putting in the hours, gently encourage your report to work smarter, not longer.  
 
● Energy: ​This is a reminder to managers (and staff) that it is especially important when 
WFH to be mindful of tone in written comms and body language in video calls. In the 
isolation of WFH life, it becomes quite easy to take responses in the most negative 
(and unintended) way. Combat this by going overboard to ensure the tone you want is 

🙏
the tone conveyed by using “Thank you”, “Please” and other clear emotive indicators 
.  

● Overworking​ when remote is a common issue.  

 ○ Get in the habit of taking regular breaks — ​try the Pomodoro technique​ or use a good 
old kitchen timer. 

○ Update your status on the appropriate channels so that your team knows you are 
away at lunch, exercising or doing other activities — and when you will be back.  

● Take good notes at your meetings.​ Folks who have to miss the meeting aren’t going to 
catch up on context in the hallway so it’s important to share the notes so they know what 
happened. Here are some ideas: 

○ Record key decisions in a centralized d

​ ecision log​. 

○ Set an agenda and assign a d

​ edicated note-taker​ before each meeting begins. 

○ Allocate some ​“silent time”​ during a call for everyone to write down comments and 
notes in a shared doc, so it’s not bottlenecked by the note-taker. 

● Consider implementing ​async stand-ups​ via Slack or email, as an alternative to video calls. 
WiFi stability can vary wildly per team member on residential internet.  

● Protect your focused work blocks.​ Set specific times to check Slack and email. When an 
entire team is working remotely, the day can easily be spent only responding to Slacks and 
emails. Here are some tips and best practices: 

○ Set clear expectations on what​ e​ xpected response times​ ​will be for Slack and email 
with your manager and team (Note: Remember to factor in teams living in other time 
zones when setting your personal policy.) ​PRO TIP:​ Pin this to your team Slack 
channel, email signature, or u
​ ser manual​. 

○ Some teams align to check Slack and email in two blocks: first thing in the morning 
and at the end of the day. 

○ Block out focused work blocks during your day to do deeper work. Focused blocks 
should be at least 2 hours. If it is not pivotal for your role to be reachable at all times, 
turn off Slack and close your email during that time. P ​ RO TIP:​ Try using C
​ lockwise​, a 
Google Calendar plug-in that automatically optimizes focus time for you and your 
co-workers. 

○ Implement adding clear and concise directions to the start of communications: For 
example, add to the subject line of an email e
​ xactly​ what is being asked of the 
recipient in response: [Response Requested], [FYI - No Action Required], [Urgent: 
Input Required]  

Zoom Tips
● Set your preferences to ​automatically mute audio/video​ when joining a meeting. Better to be 
required to manually un-mute than have a private conversation with family members 
broadcasted to the entire team.  
 ● When creating a Zoom invite ensure the link is in the Calendar notes section so the hyperlink 
is clickable — not simply in the location tab of the invite. For some devices, the location tab 
does not provide a tappable link, and many colleagues will be calling in from mobile devices 
while WFH. The ability to tap to join will streamline meeting start times.  

● Ask the host to set up auto-record for Zoom meetings and then send out recordings to help 
keep others in the loop.  

Asana Tips
Use A
​ sana t​ o help provide visibility, build trust, understand tasks and for brainstorms:  

● Create tasks in Asana to keep each other accountable and assign who is responsible. 

● Invite key stakeholders to your Asana project. Everyone on the team is then able to see what 
is the goal/task, what the progress is and who is responsible.  

● Create a project or section to just collect brainstorm ideas. As meeting by the water cooler 
or passing in the hall won’t be an option, this provides a space for those ideas. These can 
then be ranked and discussed/iterated on in a zoom meeting or in the comments  

● Use status updates in a p ​ ortfolio​ to update if a project/program or product is on time, at-risk 

or off track. This allows your team to align weekly async. (You can even set a reminder for 
Asana to notify you to send a s ​ tatus update​ on particular days!)  

● Use comments, frequently! You won’t have regular in-person conversations as regularly. Find 
a way to give color to your work and provide context. Use the Like button to acknowledge 
updates. 

● Use c
​ ustom fields​ to clarify whether something is blocked, in progress or waiting for 
feedback. Folks will understand where you are in terms of progress.  

Here are some resources to get started: 

● Have only 15 minutes?​ Learn b

​ asics in Asana in 15min 

● Have 1 hour?​ Watch​ F

​ ull Asana Basic Training​ or h
​ ow PM Ops runs a fully-remote team 

● Have a couple of hours?​ Watch more ways to use Asana in​ A

​ sana Academy  

● Have plenty of time to learn Asana?​ Check out​ ​Asana Guideline 

Communication 
● 👋Use emojis!​ It sounds silly, but your tone can be lost in chat. Be sure to be clear as things 
may get convoluted quickly due to how something may sound when you’re writing it. 
 PRO TIP:​ ​On Mac, pull up the Emoji keyboard using ​”control + command +
spacebar”  

● Err on over-communicating.​ Working remotely often requires you to communicate details 

with everyone to reduce mismatched expectations — especially if a large group of staffers 
starts WFH for the first time. 

● If you are providing a status update:​ Plan to give frequent updates on the status of projects 
which will help everyone stay connected and on track. Accept that you may need to provide 
the information multiple times as updates can often get missed in a crowded Slack channel 
or full inbox.  

● If you are receiving a status update:​ Knowing what is going on isn’t enough — do let the 
person know you received an update so they aren’t left hanging. In Slack, a simple 
“thumbs-up” on the comment will do; on email a short reply of “Got it!” will put your colleague 
at ease knowing their message was seen. 

● Make sure you have a clear D

​ ARCI​ for projects and decisions. Create a Slack channel for key 
stakeholders and make sure to post key decisions and updates to the Slack channel.   

● If you have had more than 5-6 back-and-forth exchanges on Slack or email​ attempting to 
clarify something with a colleague — it is likely time to jump on the phone quickly to hash it 
out.  

Wellness 
● Set sustainable office hours and stick to them.​ Google Calendar is your friend. If needed, 
schedule morning routines and wind down routines into your calendar. 

● You’ll be getting less movement than normal. Create routines for moving regularly.  

○ Try starting your day with a walk or other stretching exercise, something to get your 
body moving.  

○ Set a timer for every two hours to stand up and walk away for at least ten minutes. 

○ If you have a meeting that doesn’t​ require ​being on video or at the computer, take it 
from your phone — and then walk around the house or outside (if that is an option) to 
stretch your legs.  

● Prepare for the day as you would if actually going into the office. T
​ his helps delineate “work 
time” from “personal time”, even if everything is happening at home. Get dressed, shower 
and then use your “commute time” for non-work activity. Some suggestions:  

○ Virtual watercooler talk in your team Slack  

○ Spend time with family 

 ○ Have a cup of tea alone 

○ Read a book as you might normally do while in transit on a train or bus into the office  

● For those with children,​ don’t expect the little ones won’t impact on work time. They may 
even spontaneously join you in a meeting. It is all good. Your colleagues understand that 
while WFH, you are juggling two roles: parent + staffer. Nobody will mind if you pause to 
parent for a moment or two before rejoining the workday or Zoom. They might even want to 
wave hello to your little one(s)! 

● If you have a partner who is also WFH,​ agree on a schedule that will allow you both to have 
time to focus on work. Create a schedule for critical meetings that must be taken 
undisturbed, so you don’t disturb each other, or can cover for each other with parental duties. 

● Getting a quick meal or a snack ​and going back to your desk to work is often standard when 
at the office, but while working from home that behavior results in a full-day of screentime 
without pause. That’s bad! Step away from the laptop for snack time and lunch. 

● At the end of the workday,​ budget a block of time on your calendar for unwinding from work 
instead of diving directly into home life  — you typically have a commute to transition from 
your “work mindset” to “home mindset”.  

● Embrace the upside! S ​ ince you will be at home, cross off that personal goal that’s been on 
the To-Do List. Anything from a food recipe that needs a close eye while on the stove, to 
trimming the garden plants during lunch to free up time during the weekend — the time 
flexibility is a perk to be utilized.  

● PRO TIP:​ S
​ chedule in family time (lunch, dinner, or general hanging out) on a shared family 
calendar— just like you would on your work calendar. Then add your work email to the invite 
so that time doesn't get scheduled over by a Gojek meeting. 

Community  
● Create virtual watercooler spaces!​ Like Slack channels or Zoom rooms with your immediate 
team or close work colleagues. ​NOTE:​ This space is s
​ eparate ​from work projects. Consider 
sharing the following: 

○ Morning Coffee Chat standup aka what’s new in life 

○ ‘Remote Pizza Friday’: gather around and chat for 30 minutes while having lunch 

You can also join existing Slack community groups like ​#gocatsftw #musicdiscovery ​where 
you can share your workspace setup, favorites music, or pet pictures 
 ● Add a photo of yourself​ to all of your work accounts (Google, Slack, Zoom) so that team 
members can always “see” the person that is speaking.  

● GoTroops:​ Please comment with your other ideas here 🤗 

Working Space 
● WFBed?​ As convenient or cozy as it may be to work from your bed, do not do it. Save that as 
a sacred space for resting.  

● Create a unique “workspace” in your home​ — and use it specifically f​ or​ work.  
It can be the kitchen table or an entire home office, but that space is dedicated to your office 
hours — when it is after hours, move locations for any personal projects on the computer.  

● Set up your new “desk” ​so that you can work comfortably and won’t develop ​repetitive strain 
injuries​. Working on your couch or in positions that are not e
​ rgonomic​ can cause long-term 
injuries.  

● Get a good seat.​ This is now your “office” and as you will be working there daily, don’t deny 
yourself a seat that is comfortable. Don’t want to splurge on an expensive chair? Try an 
ergonomic seat pad​, a lumbar pillow, or a footrest to help support good posture. 

● A major challenge for working from home is sharing the space with family members. ​An 
agreed-upon signal​ will visually inform family members that you are “on-the-clock” and not 
to be disturbed. This can be a closed door, headphones, a handwritten “At Work” sign, or 
even a stuffed toy on the desk. 

● Let there be light!​ Don’t neglect to properly illuminate your workspace to help avoid eye 
fatigue.  

● Haven’t had a chance to clean your space before a video call?​ Consider setting up the 
virtual background feature​ on Zoom!  

 
 

APPENDIX 
Remote & Distributed Team Rules of Engagement​ by ​Gojek Engineering 
How PM Ops uses Asana to run a fully-remote team​ ​by G
​ ojek Product Management 
Work in the time of Corona​ by ​Alice Goldfuss 
Remote Work Wiki​ by ​Notion 
How to manage employees who work from home​ by Q​ uartz